Cabins for stewardesses

[penelope lemon]

I was looking over the number of stewardesses and the number of cabins and was just wondering if anyone had any idea about how the cabins were divided/how many rooms stewardesses were in charge of? I realize that most passengers had valets and maids, but the ratio of rooms to victualing crew seems a bit staggering. No? Maybe thats just me?

And the bell system. I'm having a hard time figuring that out. Did the passengers ring a bell that connected to a stewardesses corresponding room? So only the stewardess assigned to that cabin would be notified of a passenger needing their assistance? Or did it go to a general room, and whichever stewardess was available went to the passengers aid?

 

[Charles Francis Dowling]

Hey Everyone,

As you guys may know, there are 14 Stewardesses that served First Class, 4 that served Second Class, and 1 (the matron) that served Third Class onboard Titanic.

-While I was looking at the possible locations of stewardesses, I learned that Sara Stap (the apparent Chief Stewardess) served and stayed on A-Deck by herself.

-Jane Kate Gold and Annie Martin (friends) was on B-Deck.

-the famous Violet Jessop, Elizabeth Leather, Mary Sloan, and Evelyn Marsden all were on C-Deck (Leather/Jessop in the forward section, and Sloan/Marsden in the aft section, leaving an empty midships).

-Alice Prichard and Katherine Smith were on D-Deck

-Annie Robinson was on E-Deck with another unknown person

(Thanks to Craig Stringer)

The remaining First Class Stewardesses are Mary Roberts, Mary Gregson, Mabel Bennett, and Hypatia (Harriet) McLaren. The empty C-Deck cabin seemed to only hold 2 Stewardesses, and Annie Robinson apparently shared her cabin with someone else, leaving 1 stewardess without a cabin.


I was wondering if anyone can clear this up.

Regards,
Charles

 

[Charles Francis Dowling]

One more thing, I read that Mary Roberts shared with Mary Gregson, while Mabel Bennett with Hypatia McLaren (just FYI)

 

[vonfrieddorf]

Well, Charles ...

Altogether, there were 23 female crew aboard: two restaurant cashiers (technically not crew, as they were employed by Gatti), two Turkish bath attendants, one steerage matron, four second class stewardesses; leaving 14 stewardesses in first class. All are paired, as you have them above, except for Miss Stap and Mrs. Robinson. With an even number, if one is alone in a room, then another one must needs be. That would indicate that either Mrs. Robinson was quartered with another pair of stewardesses, or that she was alone in a cabin.

Hope that helps.

 

[Charles Francis Dowling]

All are paired, as you have them above, except for Miss Stap and Mrs. Robinson. With an even number, if one is alone in a room, then another one must needs be. That would indicate that either Mrs. Robinson was quartered with another pair of stewardesses, or that she was alone in a cabin.

Yes I understand. However, Miss Stap apparently was by herself on A-Deck, and I see no 3-stewardess rooms on board. Is it possible that maybe one stewardess quartered herself in an empty first class cabin?

 

[Deborah Wallis]

Well, Charles ...

Altogether, there were 23 female crew aboard: two restaurant cashiers (technically not crew, as they were employed by Gatti), two Turkish bath attendants, one steerage matron, four second class stewardesses; leaving 14 stewardesses in first class. All are paired, as you have them above, except for Miss Stap and Mrs. Robinson. With an even number, if one is alone in a room, then another one must needs be. That would indicate that either Mrs. Robinson was quartered with another pair of stewardesses, or that she was alone in a cabin.

Hope that helps.

Can you tell me where my great-grandmother's cabin was? She was 3rd class Matron, Catherine Jane Wallis, who perished. It's hard to believe that they assigned only one Matron to look after all of the 3rd class passengers, when that would have been the most challenging job of all the stewardesses. I don't see her name mentioned above when you describe who was paired up in sleeping cabins? Any information would be appreciated.

 

[Thomas Krom]

Can you tell me where my great-grandmother's cabin was? She was 3rd class Matron, Catherine Jane Wallis, who perished. It's hard to believe that they assigned only one Matron to look after all of the 3rd class passengers, when that would have been the most challenging job of all the stewardesses. I don't see her name mentioned above when you describe who was paired up in sleeping cabins? Any information would be appreciated.

Mrs. Wallis was assigned to the matron cabin on E-deck on the starboard side all the way astern. While the room had a bunk bed, she didn't had to share her stateroom as there were no other matron.

 

[Deborah Wallis]

Mrs. Wallis was assigned to the matron cabin on E-deck on the starboard side all the way astern. While the room had a bunk bed, she didn't had to share her stateroom as there were no other matron.

Thank you so much for this! I didn't expect to even get a reply, as some of these posts are so old I didn't even know if it was being monitored any more. Our family has not really been able to get verifiable information on what may have happened to Catherine. One rumor was that a surviving crew member had written to a relative, saying that she came up to the boat deck, was given a life vest, was told to get into a life boat, and then said "I've got to go back down and get my people up from below-they'll never find their way up!". Another rumor was that she went back down to her cabin saying, "I've got to get my papers!". And the 3rd version was that she went back down to her cabin saying, "This ship will not sink-I'm going back to my cabin where I'll be safer." One can only imagine that when she finally realized that the ship was indeed sinking, she would have made her way up to the deck, and there would have been no lifeboats left. Her body was never recovered, or if it was, it was never identified. Her death left her 4 children, ages 12, 9, 5, and 2 years, orphaned. I've searched some of the testimonies of the stewardesses in particular, as you would assume that the 23 women crew would have somewhat known each other, but have not seen any testimony regarding Catherine Jane Wallis's last hours.

 

[Thomas Krom]

Thank you so much for this!

You're welcome Deborah.

I didn't expect to even get a reply, as some of these posts are so old I didn't even know if it was being monitored any more. Our family has not really been able to get verifiable information on what may have happened to Catherine. One rumor was that a surviving crew member had written to a relative, saying that she came up to the boat deck, was given a life vest, was told to get into a life boat, and then said "I've got to go back down and get my people up from below-they'll never find their way up!". Another rumor was that she went back down to her cabin saying, "I've got to get my papers!". And the 3rd version was that she went back down to her cabin saying, "This ship will not sink-I'm going back to my cabin where I'll be safer." One can only imagine that when she finally realized that the ship was indeed sinking, she would have made her way up to the deck, and there would have been no lifeboats left.

There are various accounts of your great-grandmother. Keep in mind these are newspaper accounts, which means that they could be edited or even misquoted.
Daily Mail, 30th of April 1912 (account of First class stewardess Jane Kate Coulson Gold (1866-1948):

“Mrs. Wallace (sic wallis), the steerage matron even went back to her cabin after seeing her passengers into the boats and locked herself in, remarking, ‘I am going to stay where I am safe.’ She was a nervous little woman.”

The Daily Mirror edition of the 30th of April 1912 (account of Second class stewardess Emma Bliss (1866-1959):

“Mrs. Wallis, a steerage matron, come out to see two boats away and said to me, ‘I am not going on that boat. The ship is safer than that,’ and I saw her go into her cabin and lock the door. I believe that a great many women did the same thing, or never left their cabins at all."

Western Evening Herald editon on the 30th of April (account of First class stewardess Jane Kate Coulson Gold (1866-1948):

“The steerage matron, Mrs. Wall (sic, Wallis), continued on of the stewardesses, “refused to leave her room when summed to do so. She disregarded all warnings, and said, ‘I am not going on deck. I am quite safe here.”

Later in the same edition the claim is repeated that:

“The steerage matron, Mrs. Wallis, after seeing her passengers away returned to her berth, locked the door, and declared “I am going to stop here where I am safe”.

As you can see, there are some slight inconsistencies between the accounts and I don't know what is truthful and was isn't.